Billabong Junior Series

Surfing South Africa
Victoria Bay South Africa
9 - 12 August 2007

The fourth of five events on the 2007 Billabong Junior Series gets ready to roll

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 8 August, 2007 : - -  The fourth of five events on the 2007 Billabong Junior Series is the country’s premier series of surfing events and will crown champions in age divisions ranging from U/12 to U/20 for boys and U/20 for girls in September for the 11th successive year.

The contest runs Thursday to Sunday, 9-12 August 2007 at Victoria Bay, between George and Wilderness in the Southern Cape – a picturesque small bay offering a long right-hand point break ideal for high performance surfing. When the surf is smaller, the Vic Bay beach break and nearby Herold’s Bay and Wilderness offer alternative venues.

Expected surfers are Rudy Palmboom, winner of the last event in Cape Town, heads the Pro Junior boys ratings after three events. Next in line are St Mikes and Durban event champions Brandon Jackson and Brandon Roberts respectively, followed by 15 year-old Matthew Bromley and Josh Redman who lost his seeding in this event due to a late entry.

The two sponsor’s wildcards into the top 16 seeds at Vic Bay have been allocated to Ryan Klynsmith (Glenwood) and Remi Peterson (J-Bay)

Pro Junior (U20) Boys Ranking (after 3 events)

1.  Rudy Palmboom                           Bluff, KZN
2.  Brandon Jackson                        Durban North
3.  Brandon Roberts                        Sun Valley, CT
4.  Matthew Bromley                       Kommetjie
5.  Josh Redman                             Durban
6.  Casey Grant                              Scottburgh, KZN
7.  Kyle Beach                                Queensburgh, KZN
8.  Shawn Dennis                           Glenwood

Successive victories in the first three events make Tarryn Chudleigh the runaway ratings leader in the U20 girls, ahead of national junior teammate Chantelle Rautenbach and 13 year-old phenoms Bianca Buitendag, a George local and finalist last year, and Sarah Baum, in the 28 girl field.

Pro Junior (U20) Girls Ranking

1.  Tarryn Chudleigh                       Kommetjie
2.  Chantelle Rautenbach               Melkbosstrand
3.  Bianca Buitendag                      George
4.  Sarah Baum                              Athlone Park, KZN

Nic Godfrey heads the race for the U16 boy’s title from national junior teammates Shaun Joubert (who misses this event after winning an event in Bali last weekend), Dale Staples and Matthew Bromley. Blake Freegard (Umdloti) is next on the rankings in the 30 man field for Vic Bay.

U16 Boys Ranking

1.  Nic Godfrey                              Cape St Francis
2.  Shaun Joubert                          Mossel Bay
3.  Dale Staples                             St Francis Bay
4.  Matthew Bromley                     Kommetjie

Reigning U14 series champ Michael February dominates this division after back-to-back wins in the first two events and a runner-up finish to dangerous ‘floater’ David Brand in Cape Town. Dane Staples, Jarred Veldhuis, David Van Zyl and Heidi Palmboom (Bluff, KZN), the only girl ever to have reached the final of an U14 event, hold onto their top five rankings in the field of 29.

U14 Boys Ranking

1.  Michael February                    Kommetjie
2.  Dane Staples                          St Francis Bay
3.  Jarred Veldhuis                      Kommetjie
4.  David van Zyl                         Glenashley, KZN

Newcomers Dylan Lightfoot and Slade Prestwich own the top two positions in the U12 rankings while Josh Smit and reigning U12 champ Max Armstrong retain their top four positions, just ahead of local Daniel Buitendag, amongst the 18 surfer field, the biggest entry for U12’s this year

U12 Boys Ranking

1.  Dylan Lightfoot                      Jeffreys Bay
2.  Slade Prestwich                    Scottburgh
3.  Josh Smit                              Athlone Park, KZN
4.  Max Armstrong                     Kommetjie

FORMAT:  All heats consist of four surfers with the top two in each heat advancing to the next round until four remain to contest the final in each division. The only exception is in the premier Pro Junior (U20) boys’ category where the last eight are scheduled to compete in man-on-man quarterfinals, semifinals and final. The finals in all divisions will be staged on Sunday 12 August

Each event also features a Von Zipper Air Show on the final day where the country’s best aerial surfers demonstrate their skills in this innovative form of surfing. Competitors are judged on the manoeuvres they perform in the air after launching (boosting or punting) off the wave instead of for traditional manoeuvres performed on the face of the wave.

The Billabong Junior Series is sanctioned by Surfing South Africa (SSA), the national controlling body for surfing. The results of the U20 boys and U20 girls divisions also count towards the respective annual SSA Pro Surf Tour (PST) Pro Junior titles 

The best four results from the five events are accumulated to determine the series champions in each division. The top five Pro Junior boys and top Pro Junior girl receive invitations to compete in the annual Billabong ASP World Junior Championships in Australia in January.

PRIZE-MONEY:  There is a total of over R30 000 in prize-money on offer at each of the five events in the series. This is shared by the top 8 finishers in the U/20 boys and U20 girls along with the top four in each of the other three divisions

An additional R35 000 in prize-pool payouts is shared by the top three finishers in each division at the end of the series. Half this amount is generously sponsored by First National Bank who use the opportunity to enhance the juniors’ awareness of the banking system by placing their winnings in six-month fixed deposit accounts. FNB also cover the travel costs of the squad who earn invitations to the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships in Australia.

The Von Zipper Air Show offers an R1 800 winner-takes-all purse at each event for the best successfully completed aerial manoeuvre. The Kustom Awards reward the most innovative manoeuvre by a local boy and girl at every series event with R500 each and a pair of Kustom shoes. The coveted Zigzag Performance Award presents R1 000 and a replica hand grenade trophy to the surfer who ‘blows up’ due to an outstanding performance at each event

SPONSORS: Billabong International, the multi-national manufacturers and distributors of Billabong apparel and accessories, sponsor the series. 

The 2007 Billabong Junior Series is proudly supported by First National Bank, Von Zipper eyewear, Kustom Purpose Built Footwear, Red Bull, Palmers and Zigzag surf magazine.

PRODUCTION: The fourth event in the 2007 Billabong Junior Series is produced by Billabong International. Laureen Payne is the executive producer and Cyril Nel from East London is the contest director. 

The 26 minute television documentary on each event, with multiple broadcasts on the SuperSport channels, is produced by Silver Bullet Productions.

Previous reports:
# 1 : Billabong Junior Series Victoria Bay set to kick off Aug 9
# 2 : Coming soon
# 3 : Coming soon
# 4 : Coming soon  

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